Avon and The London Experience
by kalinda001
Summary: The first meeting of the Liberator crew, from Avon's perspective. April 26, 2009 - 2nd chapter added of the exact same scene, except from Blake's POV this time.
1. Chapter 1

Avon read the piece of paper in his hand again

Avon was aware of everything going on around him. He always was; it made for fewer unpleasant surprises. He had already had too many of those. In a ship full of murderers and thieves, it was not conducive to survival to not be on his guard at all times.

Avon noticed the sole female prisoner following Raiker, one of the ship's officers to the other end of the room. He had already identified the man as the sadistic, overachieving type who would enjoy abusing his power. Avon had no intentions of crossing paths with this man, not unless Raiker crossed his.

The female leaned forward to whisper something to Raiker. Raiker slapped her in the face.

"You'll come round! I can be VERY persuasive!" Raiker's response was loud and angry.

_Spirited. If not very bright_, thought Avon. He took a piece of paper from his top pocket

The woman said, "That one's going to enjoy giving us a hard time."

The thief said, "And you've improved his mood no end! Why couldn't you be nice to him?"

Avon thought, _The thief actually has some intelligence. It does not do to antagonize the people who have power over you, unless you can do something about it._

The woman replied, "He's not my type."

The thief said, "You can't afford to be choosy now!"

The woman said, "Why else would I be talking to you?"

Avon was mildly amused though it didn't show on his face. He had learned long ago never to allow others to see how he was feeling. It was much safer that way and it was always good to keep others guessing as to what he would do next.

The thief responded, "Thanks!"

The woman said, "Pleasure."

Avon walked around behind them to an empty table and sat down.

The woman and two other men were nearby conversing. Avon had already identified one of the men as a thief. The man seemed proud of it.

Avon was interesting in the woman and the thief. He had long term plans, he had to get off this ship. Escape. As much as he didn't like trusting in other people, he knew that his only chance was to work with others who might have the same ideas. At least people who still seemed to have some fight left, unlike most of the drug-stupored prisoners who had accepted their fate.

Avon read the piece of paper again. He had lost count of the number of times he had done so. He had read it so many times it was already committed to memory. But he had to read it again. He couldn't help himself. It was the only thing he had left of Anna.

The Federation interrogators had taken great pleasure in allowing him to keep this one personal item before they delivered him to the holding facility. They cruelly reminded him at every opportunity that he was the cause of Anna's death.

_I will get out of here, Anna. And I'm going to avenge your death. I promise you that._

Avon wasn't sure how he was going to manage it, but he was certain that with his intelligence, he would be able to think of something.

The woman turned to address Avon, "What've you got there?"

Avon responded, "Nothing." _A nosy female. The last thing I need. _

Anna was no one else's business.

Someone came through the doors and asked, "Do you know how those door panels work?"

_An intelligent question. Though not very bright to ask that out loud. It makes it obvious you're planning something._

The thief responded, "No, not that type."

_Of course not. Only a computer technician can open that type of security door._

Avon thought for a moment. He was looking for an opportunity to escape. This man seemed to have the same idea.

_I prefer working alone but it might be more efficient to work together rather than at cross-purposes. It's obvious you're going to need my help to tackle the security doors._

He said to them, "It's simple enough. All authorized personnel have their palm prints filed in the computer. The blue sensor plate reads the print. If it conforms, the computer opens the door."

The man said, "Neat."

Avon replied, "Most computer-based functions are."

_After that explanation, all you can say is "neat?" _thought Avon.

The thief interjected, "Blake -- Kerr Avon. When it comes to computers, he's the number two man in all the Federated worlds."

_Number two?_ Avon bristled. He was the top man, anyone in the business would know that. It was obvious to him that the thief was using the opportunity to take an Alpha down a peg or two. The lower grades always did. The ignorant fools. They substituted agression and hostility for brains. It was no wonder most of them rarely rose above their grading. He had held out some hope for the intelligence of the thief but it was clear that he was happy wasting his brains on cheap shots. Avon dismissed the thief from his mind. Instead, he studied the man who had asked the question about the panels.

The another man at the table said, "Who's number one?"

The thief replied smoothly, "The guy who caught him."

He turned to Avon, "You've got nothing to be ashamed of. D'you know, he came close to stealing five million credits out of the Federation Banking System."_ ­_

Avon had enough of fools. At best they were irritating, at the worse, dangerous in their stupidity. This one is merely irritating.

The man who had asked about the door panels asked, "What went wrong?"

_Another intelligent question. Now that you know I have the skills, you are trying to find out more about me. Very well. Let's see whether we can be useful to each other._

Avon answered, "I relied on other people. Why all the questions? Or is it merely a thirst for knowledge?"

He put Anna's paper back in his pocket. It was time to concentrate.

The man replied, "Not exactly. Having defined the problem, the first step towards a solution is the acquisition of data. You should know that."

_Another sign of intelligence. You appear to have some analytical skill._

Avon said, "Define the problem then." _Let's see how good you really are._

The man said, "How to avoid spending the rest of our lives on Cygnus Alpha."

_Well, that's obvious._

The thief interjected, "That may not be a problem." He leaned forward and said in a conspiratorial whisper, "I've heard a rumour that these prison ships don't actually go all the way to Cygnus. They wait until they're in deep space, and then quietly dump you out of an airlock."

Avon said, "You're a fool." _Just the sort of gossip you would believe. That's such a preposterous idea that only a fool would contemplate it. Which you clearly are._

Avon was irritated. The thief had deflected all of their attentions with his rumours. Even Blake seemed to be caught up in this stupid idea. The interesting and useful conversation he was having with Blake had been stopped by stupidity. Avon no longer had any interest in talking to these people. His mind went back to thoughts of Anna.

The woman said, "They are on a fixed price contract. They get paid the same whether we get there or not. And hyperdrive running is expensive."

The thief said, "So they dump us and save themselves a trip!"

Blake turned to Avon and said, "Could it be altered?"

Avon responded in surprise. He had barely been paying attention. "What?"

_Can what be altered? What is this fool talking about?_

Blake said, "The running log. Could the readings be faked?"

_By this crew? You've got to be joking. Have you noticed the condition of this ship?_

Avon answered, "Only by a top-line technician. Nobody on this ship could do it." _At least that should ease your little minds._

Blake said, "Except you."

Avon nearly laughed._ Of course. Why should I be surprised? You're either a paranoid fool or a malicious one. _No matter which way he answered, the others would all begin to suspect him. He was the only one on the ship capable of doing this moronic thing. Of course, none of these people had the brains to realize it was a stupid idea. He knew what Blake was doing and it made him angry.

Avon knew what he should have said. _Well of course I can. But if you're implying that just because I can, that I would, then you're a fool. _Of course, it would have been in an appropriately disdainful tone, but as often happened when he was verbally attacked, Avon's anger got the best of him.

_I will answer your question. You want to know if I am the only one with the ability to do it in this ship_?

He smiled and said, "Naturally." Avon got up and walked away from the table of fools.

As he walked away, Avon heard the woman say, "Was it wise to put that idea into his head?"

The thief said, "What idea?"

_Well, at least neither of you automatically thinks that a total stranger you just met could be a psychopathic maniac who would murder them in their sleep_ _just so that I can escape._

Blake said, "Oh, he's bright. He'd already thought of it."

_You're not serious? Is that the new definition of bright people now? We're all homicidal maniacs? With that kind of brilliant reasoning, I'm surprised that they don't just ship us all off to a penal colony. With a brain like that leading them, it's no wonder most of your people were killed by the Federation. You got them killed didn't you, you fool? With your ignorance._

Avon was disgusted with the lot of them, as he generally was with most of humanity now. Brutish and brainless.

The thief said, "What? What?"

The woman said, "He fixes the log, the crew dump us, pocket the profit, and set him free."

The thief said, "That's immoral. The cold-hearted murdering -- let's kill him now before he can do it."

_Just as I suspected would happen, you've got them all thinking of murdering me. Wonderful, four more months. _Avon wished that for once, he wasn't always right. He started having regrets about his flippant answer. _If that idiot, Blake, hadn't pointed out that I was the only one capable of fixing the log… _And if it hadn't been for his own temper.

Avon never reacted well to people who pushed him. He had met too many in his life. The arrogant fools who oversaw his work; who used his mind to benefit themselves, leaving him nothing. That was why he had rebelled against their control. He had wanted to strike out and bring them all down. The only way these kinds of people could make him do what they wanted, was to force him. He would never do what they want willingly, and it made him full of anger and hatred towards them.

Here was Blake, the so-called hero of the people. Avon never had much time for heroes. In his experience, they always turned out to be lying, manipulative, two-faced hypocrites only concerned about their own agendas at the expense of everyone else. People like that made him ill. He was a fool for thinking, even for a split second, that Blake might be the exception to the rule.

_Eight more months to Cygnus Alpha and I'll have to watch my back the whole time. Thanks for nothing, Blake. I can't go back and say I don't have the ability. Even if I tell everyone that I would never consider it, some of these murderers might think it safer just to get rid of me. When you finally realize you need my help to get off this ship, I'm going to make you work for it, Blake._

His primary objective now was to stay alive.


	2. Chapter 2

The first thing that Blake did when they released him from the chair restraints was to plan to escape. He entered the prisoner recreation area, his mind busy thinking.

_The doors have some kind of security. Will have to find out what that is and if anyone knows how to break it._ He asked Vila, "Do you know how those door panels work?"

The slender thief that had stolen his watch in the holding cell said, "No, not that type."

A man at the table, Blake identified him as some kind of tech by his grey, vaguely tech-type uniform, said, "It's simple enough. All authorised personnel have their palm prints filed in the computer. The blue sensor plate reads the print. If it conforms, the computer opens the door. "

Blake didn't have anything clever to say to that. "Neat."

The grey-clad man said indifferently, "Most computer-based functions are."

The man seemed like he might be interested, but Blake could tell from the man's manner and speech that this was an Alpha like himself. A rival. He couldn't have that. There would only be one boss here.

Vila made the introductions, "Blake -- Kerr Avon. When it comes to computers, he's the number two man in all the Federated worlds."

Blake could tell from the way that Vila was talking, he was trying to take the Alpha tech down a peg, which he didn't mind at all. He could not have the others looking favourably on Avon. It might interfere with his taking over the ship. But he might need him. The man knew computers. That knowledge would be invaluable to any escape plans. It was both useful for his plans and a potential threat to his authority. He could not have them looking to Avon just because the man was smart and had knowledge they needed. Would have to do something about that.

Nova, the other man standing by them asked, "Whose number one?"

Vila said with relish, "The guy who _caught_ him." Avon reacted like someone who was tired of being taunted and very deliberately went back to looking at the piece of paper in his hands. Vila said, "You've got nothing to be ashamed of. D'you know, he came close to stealing five million credits out of the Federation Banking System. "

Blake stayed standing but leaned in towards the table. Must maintain a dominant posture. He asked, "What went wrong?" Make the man identify his failure in front of the others. That should take him down another peg in front of them.

Avon did not look happy at that question. Blake smiled to himself. He wondered if the Alpha knew what he was doing. Not that Avon could help it. No one was as good at manipulation as he was. No one was going to stop interfere with his plan from taking over this ship. He had to escape so he could destroy the Federation that had ruined his life. And if it was going to start by rallying these misfits and criminals, that was what he was going to do. He would start fighting the Federation from right here.

Avon said, "I relied on other people. Why all the questions? Or is it merely a thirst for knowledge?" Avon folded the paper up and put it in his pocket as he leaned back to engage in this conversation.

Blake realized that it wasn't going to be that easy to neutralize Avon as a threat in the eyes of the others. The man was far too intelligent. _He's actually questioning my motives. Can't have that. Will have to turn the tables around somehow._

Blake could sound just as intelligent, but he had to work at it. He was more used to giving orders and using persuasive words. "Not exactly. Having defined the problem, the first step towards a solution is the acquisition of data. You should know that. "

Avon asked, "Define the problem then."

Blake replied, "How to avoid spending the rest of our lives on Cygnus Alpha."

_Damn. He's still controlling the conversation._

Vila said, "That may not be a problem." He leaned in conspiratorially, "I've heard a rumour that these prison ships don't actually go all the way to Cygnus. They wait until they're in deep space, and then quietly dump you out of an airlock."

While the thief told everyone what he had heard, Blake stepped back and regrouped. Things were not going well. He was not gaining any ground with Avon. Time to step things up. He walked over so that he was standing behind and to the side of Avon. Put the man at a disadvantage positionally.

_I will be able to see him, but he won't be able to see me when we talk. __He will be in the weaker position. I can do anything to him from here and he won't be able to see it. He won't even be able to see the expression on my face. _Blake's eyes were filled with dark menace as they bore into the back of Avon's head.

Blake could tell that Avon was not impressed with the thief's idea.

Avon said, "You're a fool."

The female at the table, Jenna said, "They are on a fixed price contract. They get paid the same whether we get there or not. And hyperdrive running is expensive."

Vila said, "So they dump us and save themselves a trip!"

Blake smiled to himself again. Thanks to the gossipy thief, he had a way to neutralize Avon as any threat to his authority.

Blake asked, "Could it be altered?"

Avon asked, "What?"

Blake now sat on the table, right next to Avon, so that the man could not avoid looking at him unless he left the table. "The running log. Could the readings be faked?"

Avon got up to leave.

_I have him on the run now. He must realize what I'm doing is dangerous for him._

Avon said, "Only by a top-line technician. Nobody on this ship could do it."

_Yes, you couldn't very well deny that after Vila made such a big deal about you being the number two man in all the Federation. __Pay attention everyone. _Blake said, " Except you."

Avon said with an aggressive smile, "Naturally." He walked away.

_Avon knows. But it doesn't matter. I won.__ He doesn't matter anymore except when I want him to do something for me._

Blake deliberately sat in the seat that Avon had just retreated from. A very visible wiping out of the man as a threat.

Jenna asked, "Was it wise to put that idea into his head?"

Vila asked, "What idea?"

_Is the thief totally oblivious? Do I have to spell it out for him?_

Blake spelled it out for him. "Oh, he's bright. He'd already thought of it. "

Blake tried not to laugh at how clever he was with that statement. He had also just wiped out Avon's brains as any potential threat to him by equating intelligence with something evil.

Vila asked, "What? What?"

_He finally gets it._

Jenna said, "He fixes the log, the crew dump us, pocket the profit, and set him free."

_Jenna will be a good one to have on my side._

Vila said, "That's immoral. The cold-hearted murdering -- let's kill him now before he can do it."

_Yes, I'm very clever. _Now that he had neutralized the other Alpha as any potential leadership threat, now and in the future, it was time to get back to the more important business of escaping.

Blake asked Jenna, "How much do you know about this type of ship?"


End file.
